Faith
by fifflesgiggles
Summary: **Sequel to Broken** Tommy and Jade have been engaged for a year now, and the fire is still burning. But what happens when someone from Tommy's past shows up with what Jade is sure are ulterior motives? Will she kill their spark? Rated M for violence, language, and lusty goodness.
1. Chapter 1

"Why do I have to do this again, Bren?" Jade whined, her patience already wearing thin and the damn thing hadn't even started yet. "Tommy doesn't do interviews."

"That's because Tommy can book fights by name alone. You don't have that luxury." Brendan was standing in front if her, appraising her appearance. "Guess that'll have to do."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. They know what's off limits?"

"Yeah, they know the rules. Doesn't mean they'll follow them, though, so be ready for it."

"Ugh." Jade tugged on the end of her ponytail as she paced the room, trying to calm her nerves. Not for the first time, she wished Tommy had come along. But she couldn't really blame him for staying as far away from this as possible, lest he get dragged into it.

The knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. Brendan took one last look at her then gave a gentle tap to the underside of her chin, a subtle reminder to keep her chin up regardless of how much of a disaster this turned into. And it would turn into one, of that she had no doubt.

Brendan opened the hotel's conference room door, shaking the reporter's hand before escorting him inside. He was of average height, average looks; nothing really stood out about the man. "Henry Stancill, MMA Monthly," he introduced, holding his hand out for her to shake. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Paul."

It took a lot of effort to not grit her teeth when she responded back, taking his palm in hers. "Likewise." His grip was limp, clammy, and she had to fight off the urge to wipe her hand on her pants afterwards. They each took their seats, Jade bouncing her leg up and down with nerves.

"Shall we just jump right in, then?" When neither Jade nor Brendan responded, he apparently took it as consent and continued on. "How did you first get into fighting?"

"I wanted to learn."

"You've got to give me more than that, Miss Paul."

Brendan shot her a warning glare, so she continued with a sigh. "I tried self-defense courses, but it wasn't enough for me. Tommy was my running buddy, so I asked him to train me."

"Anything prompt this?"

Jade took a large drink of water. Her story had gotten known on a wider scale over the last year. She hated the attention, but if the story was going to be out there, it may as well be her version. "The threat of a restraining order going unrenewed."

"Ah, the infamous Andrew Locke. Care to elaborate?"

"Not particularly."

The reporter surveyed her, obviously starting to bristle at her reluctance to answer his questions. "I've done my research. And the events of your shooting and the lead up to it are well documented, Miss Paul. I can report them with or without your input on the matter."

"Then why do you even want it?"

"Jade," Brendan warned from beside her, reaching out an arm to touch her shoulder before leaning in to whisper in her ear. "You need this. Knock it off."

She sighed in resignation. Fuck if he wasn't right, she just hated talking about it. "He was my ex-boyfriend. The legal system failed to protect me, and I knew it would. So I took the steps necessary to protect myself, I learned to fight."

"What was it like training with Tommy Riordan?"

"How do you think? He was hard on me. Tested me, pushed me beyond my limits. But it was worth it. I'm better because of it."

"How did that transition into an engagement?"

Jade could feel the hairs on her arms stand up in anger. "That's off limits and you know it," she growled.

"My apologies," he mumbled, though he looked anything but sorry. "How did Brendan come into the picture?"

"Tommy had a tourney, he couldn't train me while he was training himself. So he called his big brother for help."

"What was it like training a woman, Mr. Conlon?" he asked as he turned to Brendan.

_Sexist ass_, she thought. "Didn't have anything to do with it," Brendan replied, causing Jade to beam a little with pride. There was a reason Brendan was still her trainer. "She works harder than a lot of men I've worked beside. Jade doesn't fuck around."

"Can that please be one of the page quotes in the article?" Jade asked with a laugh, a little bit of the tension in the room lifting. "Or at least put it in the next program. 'Jade Paul - she doesn't fuck around.'"

"We'll see," the reporter replied with a tight lipped smile. "Moving on. Tell me about your first real fight."

* * *

Tommy was laying on the bed watching TV when she got back to their room, one arm behind his head while the other lazily played with the drawstring of his shorts. "How'd it go, doll?"

Jade collapsed face down on the bed next to him with a groan. "They asked about you."

"Course they did."

She rolled onto her back and nestled into Tommy's side, his scent clean but overwhelming. "They want to take pictures of my scars," she whispered, hiding her face in the crook of his shoulder.

"You know you've got nothing to be ashamed of them for, right?" he murmured into her hair as he snaked an arm around her shoulders. Jade nodded. "But you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I know," she sighed. "I can see why you have no patience for that shit. Did you know they're starting to call us the royal couple of MMA?"

"And how do you feel about that, princess?"

Jade leaned up on one elbow, about to let him have it until she saw the smirk on his face. So she smacked him in the arm. "You're an asshole."

Tommy hauled her on top of him, started working his hands in her shirt until she lifted it over her head and threw it across the room. "But I'm _your_ asshole." He gently traced her scars, walking his fingers up her torso before grabbing her by the back of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss. His lips were soft against hers, sweet, but by the way his hands were starting to tug insistently at the button of her jeans, he had other ideas in mind.

* * *

**A/N - Tommy and Jade are back! I just can't stay away from them, it seems. Please, review review review. They make my day and make me write faster.**


	2. Chapter 2

The sight of Jade straddling him was one of his favorites, a burning need starting to make itself known as desire flooded through him. Even after being together for a year, Tommy had not grown tired of his beautiful fiancé. Her continued training had shaped her, given her muscles definition and a soft six-pack that was still surprisingly sexy. He felt as if he could never get enough of his Jade.

"I feel like I haven't had you in ages," he murmured as he kissed along her jaw, his fingers continuing to try to unbutton her damn jeans. Giving up temporarily, he grabbed her ass, grinding her hips against his, thrusting slightly so that he could press against her harder. Jade groaned, digging her fingernails into his chest, the slight pain only adding fuel to the fire. Tommy went back to fumbling at her jeans, but again failed at making any progress.

She chuckled, pushing against his chest until she was upright, finally giving him easy access to the waistband of her pants. "That was just this morning!"

"Still been too long."

Tommy was finally triumphant in undoing the fucking button on her jeans when a knock on the door interrupted them. Jade gave him a fiery look as she climbed off his lap and threw her shirt back on, undoing all the work he had done on her pants as she walked away. "We'll finish this later," she promised in a seductive voice before scurrying to answer the door.

"They love her, piss-poor attitude and all. They want to see her spar," Brendan announced as he entered the room. Jade following close behind and looked flushed, suddenly nervous.

Tommy was immediately suspicious. "Good?"

"Let me clarify, little brother. They want to see her spar with you."

"The fuck?" Tommy growled, sitting up as he spoke. "Knew they'd drag me into this somehow. No."

Brendan glared at him, but Jade gave him a pleading look. Her voice was small, hesitant when she finally spoke up. "I need this, Tommy. Do it for me, please?"

Tommy groaned, digging his knuckles into his eyes to buy him some time. He hated the fucking media, hated everything to do with it. He avoided attention like the plague, but understood that Jade did need it right now. And for Jade, he would do about anything. Even if it meant spending time with a sniveling reporter, nosing around for some hidden story. "Fine. Fucking fine. I'm not taking it easy on you, though."

And of course, she smirked. "Like you've ever made anything easy."

* * *

The arena was mostly empty as the trio entered, save a few event staff that were obviously bustling around to prepare for his fight the next night. Tommy grumpily sat in a chair near the cage, reluctantly wrapping his hands and watching as Jade did the same before starting to warm up with Brendan.

He watched her move, still fascinated by her after all this time. Some had said that he fought like a caged, wounded animal, but they had never seen his Jade. As soon as she stepped into the cage, she turned into a woman possessed, out for blood. Her anger had mellowed quite a bit since she started fighting professionally. But now, it was like she saved it up, stored it, until finally it blew up and she unleashed absolute hell on her opponents. She was undefeated in seven bouts for a reason. Girls in the northeast were scared to fight her anymore, hence her need for some national attention. She needed new opponents to fight, new challenges to overcome.

"Tommy Riordan!" A man sat next to him, pen and notebook in one hand while holding out his other to shake. "Henry Stancill. Amazing to meet you."

Tommy silently glared at him until the reporter let his hand fall. He finished his wrappings and stood, anxious to get away from the stranger, making his way to the cage door and inside.

Jade was grinning at him, bouncing on the balls of her feet as he entered, Brendan making his way out to sit with the reporter that would be watching. "You ready for this, Tommy?" she called from across the canvas, voice muffled by her mouth guard but a confident smirk on her face all the same.

"Yeah, yeah, cocky. Just make sure you don't-"

"Pull my punches, I know. Want to make this interesting?" she taunted, moving her elbows back and forth parallel to the ground to stretch out her shoulders as she rolled her head to work her neck.

"What's the bet, doll?" Tommy replied back before putting his own mouth guard in.

Jade gave him a knowing smile, coaxing him over with a gloved hand. When he was apparently close enough, she leaned in, her voice low. "Loser gets tied down tonight."

Tommy knew his face was shielded from the reporter and his brother's view, so he grazed his lips up the side of her neck and to her ear, unable to help himself. She gave a slight shudder and he had to fight a triumphant smile. He loved seeing her react to him. "You're going to regret that when I win. Remember what happened last-" She cut him off with a sudden knee to his side that knocked the breath out of him, Jade scrambling backwards and giving him a cocky grin. "Oh, you're so going to pay for that," he promised.

They both put their gloves up, each moving and dancing around, testing each other. It had been a while since they had sparred together. It pissed Jade off when he made no real effort to attack her, she wanted the challenge and just got angry when he didn't truly provide her with one. And then at the end of the day, she would turn that fire back onto him between the sheets. It was an odd kind of foreplay, he had to admit, but it made for some fantastic angry sex. Why didn't they spar more often again?

He was distracted by his thoughts and she was fast, managing to get a couple of body blows and an uppercut in before he pulled his focus back onto the present. Tommy saw an opening and tackled her, immediately positioning around her body and putting her in a hold on the canvas. He could hear her grunts of frustration as she tried to maneuver out of it before she threw an elbow at his temple, his grip loosening just enough for her to shoot back up on her feet. All playfulness was gone as she stared him down again. She was determined now.

"I think we got it!" the reporter called, but Jade still attacked.

He caught her leg when she threw a quick snap kick, Jade effortlessly transitioning the hold to take him down with a scissoring move. Tommy's head snapped back, hitting the canvas with a thunk that sounded more painful than it actually was. Jade was straddling him in an instant, raining punches down at his face, Tommy blocking most of them until Brendan whistled and called out to her. "Enough!"

But oh, neither one of them were stopping now. Tommy caught her wrists, twisted his torso and used his momentum to get her into another hold, one that he knew she was still struggling with escaping from time to time.

"Bastard!" she screeched, writhing and squirming against him in her efforts to escape.

"Tap out, doll."

"Fuck you!"

Ever so slightly, he increased the pressure on her shoulder. "You know it's over."

He could hear her gritting her teeth when he finally felt her fingers tapping against his forearm. Tommy released her, Jade collapsing on the mat spread eagle while she caught her breath.

"Impressive," the reporter said as he approached the cage.

Tommy chuckled, chipping in without really thinking about the fact that he was speaking with the hated media. "You should see her when she's up against someone she doesn't even like."

Jade sat up and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Upstairs. I want you. Now."

* * *

**A/N - I was going to wait a day or two to post this one, but I opted not to. The first chapter was more of a summary for any who haven't read Broken. But now we're getting to some plotty stuff. As always, each and every single review is appreciated. I love you all!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: lustiness ahead!**

* * *

The goodbyes to the reporter took far too long, in Jade's opinion. The elevator ride and time it took to make dinner plans with Brendan felt like forever. The suspense and tension were killing her. She wanted Tommy, and she wanted him now. Finally, _finally_, they made it back to the room.

The door hadn't even shut fully before Tommy was on her, his body weight all but slamming her against the wall, his mouth harsh and unforgiving on hers. The bed was only a few steps away, but they apparently just weren't going to make it that far.

Jade moaned as his mouth moved to her throat and shoulders, Tommy nipping at her as he shoved his hand down into her panties, sliding one finger and then two into her heat. "Fuck," she cried out, his movements brutal in their urgency but not nearly aggressive enough for her current mood. She grabbed onto his hair, yanking hard, causing Tommy to inhale sharply through his teeth before pulling his lips back up to her mouth with a growl.

One hand worked her into a frenzy while the other started tugging at her shorts, his tongue sweeping her mouth and sending electricity sparking all over her skin. When Tommy started using his thumb to rub her just right, she nearly came apart then, a groan getting stuck in her throat.

"Not yet," he growled his order, sending a shiver down her spine. But still he was relentless, teasing her, coaxing her with his hand, Jade whining and tensing her muscles to try to hold off her orgasm. Right as she was about to topple over the edge, Tommy released her, biting the crook of her neck as he removed his own pants.

He lifted her off the floor, holding her against the wall as he slid into her, Jade moaning his name as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Ever so slowly, he eased her down as he pushed his hips upward, filling her inch by agonizing inch. He held her there momentarily, his teeth digging into her shoulder and coercing another groan from her throat.

He pulled out, and with one single thrust Jade couldn't hold back anymore, an orgasm wracking her body violently as she cried out. "Oh God, Tommy." But he didn't let up, didn't give her any reprieve. He fell into a steady pace, all but slamming into her, his movements rough and frantic. Each thrust drew out another wave of pleasure, leaving Jade unsure where one orgasm stopped and the next began. She was riding high, all thoughts gone as Tommy gave her exactly what she wanted, no, needed. Jade fisted her hands in his hair, tugging and pulling as she kissed him, intertwined in a mess of teeth and lips and tongue as she fought the scream that wanted to escape her.

"Tommy," she whined as she broke the kiss and leaned her head back against the wall, her vision starting to blur and fade as her senses were overloaded. It was too much, too overwhelming.

His pace became more harried, his thrusts harder, his fingers digging into and bruising the back of her thighs as he held her steady. "One more," he commanded her, his voice rough. He altered his hold on her, supporting her weight with one arm as he snaked the other between their bodies, starting to rub her where their bodies were joined.

"Fuck," she keened as the orgasm came crashing down around her, Tommy drawing it out with a couple more hard thrusts, groaning as he finished inside her.

He held her steady against the wall as they both came down from their high, their breathing heavy as he rested his forehead against hers. Tommy leaned in and gave her a soft kiss as he pulled out and let her down. Her legs were shaking, so Tommy held her for a minute until she was sure she would be steady on her feet. "We really need to spar more often," he murmured, Jade huffing out an exhausted, breathy laugh.

Jade hummed her agreement before suddenly she wasn't on her feet anymore. Instead she was horizontal, Tommy having swept her up in his arms to carry her to the bed.

* * *

They went downstairs to meet Brendan a few hours later, the two of them dressed for a nice dinner out in Vegas. Jade had to fight the urge to climb back on Tommy as they rode the elevator downstairs. They so rarely dressed in anything but gym clothes, it was incredibly sexy to see Tommy in a button up shirt and jeans. It was the same one he wore on their first real date, she remembered with a fond smile. "We need to go to a Flyers game again soon," she mused out loud.

Tommy didn't respond, just nodded as he reached over and pulled her into him, his chest warm against her back as his arms wrapped around her waist. They never really displayed their affection for each other publicly, though an empty elevator was pretty far from public. His lips brushed against her shoulder, sending a shudder of pleasure through her body. The elevator signaled the end of their descent, Tommy stepping away from her as the doors opened.

They crossed the lobby to find Brendan's face red as soon as he spotted them. The source of his discomfort was made apparent as soon as he spoke. "I am never getting a room next to you two again," he muttered before heading outside to hail them a cab.

Jade couldn't help but giggle as they followed him out, still too high on endorphins from their hours alone to feel any real pity for her poor trainer. She and Tommy knew each others' bodies as well as their own now, which had made for a very satisfying afternoon with each other. And she still wanted more. The memory of their bet surfaced as they watched the car pull up to the curb, making her damp immediately. Tommy teased her relentlessly when he had her tied down, taunted and coaxed her, never allowing her let go until she begged him for release. He loved to be in charge, and though she would never admit it, she loved it when he was. It was the ultimate sign of trust, after everything she had been through, to give herself over to him so completely. And he always made it worth it.

"Sorry Bren," she laughed out almost nervously, the memories washing over her as they climbed into the taxi behind him. Jade gave him an awkwardly positioned hug once she was beside him in the backseat. "Want me to ask the hotel to move you? Because it's not going to get any better," she smirked.

* * *

Jade paced the floor the next morning while the photographer got the lighting set up. She was nervous about what was to come, there was no denying it. Much like her fiancé, she hated attention, didn't like the focus to be on her. She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, swinging her arms back and forth in an effort to keep moving. If she kept moving, she wouldn't have to think about what was coming.

They were in a local gym, one that was certainly fancier than the one her and the brothers usually worked in. It didn't help her nerves; she didn't belong here. She belonged with well worn equipment and the stink of sweat and testosterone. This was sleek, streamlined, too perfect. Everything she felt she wasn't. It didn't even feel used.

Her makeup and hair were done, far too fancy for her taste. Her green phoenix robe from Tommy was on over a black sports bra and hot pants. And she couldn't remember the last time she felt so uncomfortable. She dressed similar to this for fights, but with her hair coiffed and makeup plastered on? It just felt wrong. It's not like she had an issue with getting dolled up, it was the context that was off.

Brendan jogged over, bringing her a bottle of water which she gulped down gratefully. "Thanks."

"You don't have to do this, you know. Your scars are yours and yours alone."

"I know, Bren. Tommy basically said the same thing."

"He should be here," he muttered, looking guilty when Jade shot him a look. "Well, he should. He's supposed to be your other half. I don't give a shit how much he hates the media circus, he should be here to support you."

"Really, Bren, it's fine. I'm a big girl, I'll be okay."

"We're ready, Miss Paul," the photographer called out. Brendan gave her a light tap to the underside of her chin, coaxing a smile out of her as she moved towards the set. Jade dragged her feet as she approached, unable to shake the feeling that she was heading to the executioner. The photographer met her halfway, tried to put her at ease with a friendly hand on her shoulder as they walked, but she tensed and glared at him until he dropped it. "Well, alright. Let's start with some action shots to loosen you up then? Want to lose the robe?"

And so it went, the camera clicking away as Jade did pull-ups and push-ups, gripped the heavy bag with her thighs as she hung upside down and did full sit-ups, punched and kicked the hit pads that Brendan had brought for her. The physical exertion did help to ease her nerves, but they would stop her every time she started to get a good sweat going. Hair and makeup people would scurry over to mess with her and fix the damage she was doing to their work. Her frustration grew with each pause until finally she growled at them to leave her alone. She didn't care if it was a national magazine, if she was going to be photographed, it would be in her own skin and on her own terms.

Jade jogged to the bathroom and swept her hair into a ponytail before washing the shit off of her face. She stared into the mirror for a minute, already feeling better, the discomfort starting to ease up. She felt more like herself. And after everything she had been through to get here, that's what she needed to present to the world. No bullshit, no hiding, no carefully sculpted facade. Just her.

Brendan gave her an encouraging smile as she came back out, making her feel like she had made the right decision as the rest of the crew groaned. They went back to shots of her exercising and pounding the heavy bag, not stopping for to pretty her up anymore. And it felt good, Jade finally feeling like she was being herself.

Then came the hard part. No physicality, no movement, just posing for the camera to show her scars to the world. They took closeups of where the bullet had passed through her, both the back and the front. She pulled her shorts down low enough so they could access the jagged scar that sat low on her abdomen that had come courtesy of Andrew. It was incredibly disarming and uncomfortable, leaving Jade feeling raw and exposed, even though Brendan was doing his best to keep her mood chipper.

To her surprise, Tommy entered the gym as they were taking the last few pictures of the day. She stood half in shadow with the hood of her robe over her head, staring the camera down. Tommy approached the set warily, taking a spot next to Brendan and watching. Jade met his eyes and he gave her what looked like a proud grin. And as much as she tried to keep a straight face, tried to keep her glare steady for the camera, she couldn't help but return his smile.

* * *

**A/N - **

Review, review, review! They make my day and make me excited to write more for you guys. Let me know your thoughts! And if the lustiness isn't you're thing, sorry but kinda not sorry.


	4. Chapter 4

Tommy was struck speechless when he exited the bathroom. Jade was seated on the bed, one of her legs in the air as she adjusted her fishnet stockings. They were going out to celebrate his win, something that they rarely did. But they were in Vegas, why wouldn't they go out and enjoy their last night in the city of sin?

And she was looking absolutely sinful. Her corset was a deep turquoise, cinching in her waist and pushing her breasts up into an impressive set of cleavage. Peacock feathers were tufting out around her hips and ass, and the hot pants beneath them looked positively indecent. Jade's hair was curled, her normally clean face heavy with dramatic make-up.

Jealousy made his stomach clench. "You're not going out in that."

Jade rolled her eyes before giving him a challenging glare as she slipped her feet into some ridiculously high heels. "It's a burlesque party, Tommy. This is exactly how I'm going out."

"You're going to be fighting them off," he managed to get out between clenched teeth. It's not that he didn't trust her. It was others that he didn't trust.

"You and I both know I can handle myself. Remember the last time we went out?"

"Unfortunately." It had been, in short, an absolute cluster fuck. A drunk man, unable to take no for an answer, had grabbed her ass. She had knocked him out with just a few well-aimed punches before Tommy had even registered the unwelcome touch, and the attack was something that the man's girlfriend apparently didn't appreciate. Jade had left the bar with a black eye when the woman had attacked from nowhere. The girlfriend wound up being carried out to the street unconscious along with her boyfriend. She was right, she could take care of herself. But he felt she shouldn't need to.

"You jealous, Tommy?" she purred as she stood up straight, nearly eye level with him. Tommy shot a quick look down at her shoes again. Must be some pretty high fucking heels. Jade pressed herself against him, draping her arms around his shoulders as Tommy put his hands on her waist. She leaned in, her voice low and husky in his ear, his body already starting to react to her proximity. "You know I'm yours."

The knock on their door pulled them away from each other, Tommy leaving to let his brother in. He had been a little shocked that Tess was letting Brendan off the leash to go out in Vegas, but considering how Jade was dressed, he didn't mind having an extra set of eyes looking out for her tonight.

Apparently, Brendan was in the same frame of mind as he when it came to her outfit. "You're not going out in that," Brendan announced as soon as he entered the room and saw how his fiancé was dressed.

"Not you too!" Jade huffed. "You boys are just going to have to deal with it. C'mon, we're going to be late."

* * *

The bar was packed, the music loud. He wasn't normally one for claustrophobia, but he could certainly understand the feeling when he was being jostled and pressed against from all sides. The crowd was a writhing, unstoppable creature, and he wanted no part of it. Girls were dancing on platforms and in cages around the room, each dressed similarly to his fiancé. Though, he had to admit, none of them looked anywhere near as good as his girl did.

Jade grabbed his hand, dragging him and his brother immediately to the bar. She immediately ordered them two shots of tequila each, yelling out her toast "To Tommy!" so she could be heard over the thumping bass. They each threw one shot back, then another in rapid succession. It was going to be one of those nights, he just knew it.

The trio hung around the bar for a while, yelling at each other over the ruckus that surrounded them. Tommy stopped at three shots, Brendan four. But Jade, his little firecracker, showed no signs of slowing.

"Dance with me," Jade pleaded in his ear as she gripped onto his forearm. Tommy chuckled and shook his head no. Really, she should know better than to even ask.

"You're going to regret it," she sang into his ear. Jade threw back her sixth shot of the night and gave him a daring look before sauntering off to the dance floor. Tommy couldn't help but admire the view as she walked away, her tattoo visible in the flashing lights and giving her look an entirely different edge. She wasn't even acting tipsy. She had quite the tolerance, something he saw as both a curse and a blessing.

Brendan leaned against the bar next to him, his eyes following Jade as she left as well. "There's going to be trouble tonight," he yelled into Tommy's ear.

"Tell me about it." His brother gave him a nod, heading off into the same direction as Jade, to keep an eye on her, he was certain.

Trouble did indeed come, almost as soon as Brendan was out of view, but not in the form he was expecting. A small hand rested on his forearm and called his attention off of his brother. She was tall and leggy, her hair bleach blonde and she was wearing a powder blue corset. "You're Tommy Riordan!" she gushed, leaning into him so that she could be heard. He caught a whiff of her perfume, and couldn't help but think she smelled cheap.

Tommy instinctively pulled away, trying to put as much distance between himself and the blonde as possible. He just nodded, scouring the room to both find Jade and so that he wouldn't give the girl the impression that he had any interest in her whatsoever.

"I'm Vanessa," she cooed, leaning into him again. Tommy took a step to the side, wondering why this woman wasn't getting the hints that he was laying out for her. "You were amazing tonight!"

"Step away, Veronica," he growled, intentionally getting her name wrong so that she might understand exactly how little he cared. His eyes hard as he finally met her gaze. "I'm engaged, and I'm not interested."

"Then where is she?" the blonde asked, all sweetness gone, matching his attitude with her own. His back was already against the bar and he was cornered, so he couldn't step back when she moved forward to press her body against his. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Back the fuck off." Jade had apparently returned, and her voice was bristling with anger. He half wanted to sigh in relief, but he knew that real trouble hadn't even started yet.

The blonde gripped his arm with one hand, placing her other on his chest as she turned into him. Tommy wrenched his body away from her, but she didn't seem phased. Her voice was cool when she replied back. "I don't see a ring on him, honey."

_Oh shit._ "You're going to regret that," Tommy mumbled as he moved away, trying to get to Jade before she rose to the pet name she hated so much. The blonde reached out and grabbed his forearm again when he started to walk away.

"Big mistake." Jade's voice was scarily cold. He reached her just as she was starting to move forward, his hands on her waist to hold her back. "Fucking let me go, Tommy."

"No."

The blonde's laugh was high and fake behind him. And that's when all hell broke loose.

The troublemaker had reached out and got a grip on Jade's hair, pulling hard and not letting go. Jade let out a scream of rage, Tommy dropping his hold on her waist as Jade rushed the blonde. Glassware on the bar shook as the two women knocked against it, the blonde getting in a single hit that split Jade's lip. Jade reared back and gave the woman a vicious punch to the ribs, the blonde's hold on her hair finally releasing at the pain. It only took two more punches and the troublemaker was on the floor, knocked out.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Brendan muttered from Tommy's side. In all of the scuffle, he hadn't even noticed that his brother had returned.

Jade's cheeks were flushed and her jaw set when she turned back to them again. "Let's go." She didn't wait to see if they were following her, just turned heel and left.

The two brothers caught up with Jade outside, the relative quiet a relief after the noisiness of the bar. "Why is it that someone always winds up unconscious when we go out?" Tommy asked as he fell into step next to her.

"Not my fault trouble seems to follow me," she replied cooly, licking the blood off her lip. "So where to next, boys?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: Lusty goodness ahoy!**

* * *

"Time to get up, trouble."

Jade groaned and buried her face back into her pillow, her head pounding. "Why did we book the red eye?"

"Why did you drink so much when you knew we had to be up early? Come on."

The cool air of the hotel room hit her naked body as Tommy yanked the comforter off of her, a sound of protest escaping her throat. "Five more minutes," she begged, feeling around with her hands to try to find the blankets again.

She knew what was coming as soon as she heard the appreciative growl that escaped Tommy's throat. His hands closed around her ankles and flipped her over, spreading her legs as he started to crawl up her body and press against her. "If you don't want me to throw up on you, I'd move," Jade croaked out. As much as she loved the heft of Tommy's body on top of her, the pressure on her stomach was just not sitting right.

"We'll, if you want five more minutes doll, you've got to make it worth my while."

Jade kissed him, wincing slightly at the pain on her split lip. She enjoyed the weight of his body on hers for another moment before pushing against his shoulders. "Alright, I'm up."

"Ibuprofen and water is waiting for you in the bathroom," Tommy said as he rolled off of her.

Jade leaned over to kiss his cheek before padding her way to the bathroom, shutting the door and sinking to the floor with a groan. The short trip alone was enough to make her dizzy. The cool tile felt comforting against her skin, but too soon a knock on the door made her jump. Tommy's voice was muffled as it carried through the door. "I know what you're doing, Jade. Get up and get moving."

"Fine. Goddammit."

* * *

Walking into their apartment was a bit of a relief, if she was being honest with herself. Jade had never really had the opportunity to travel while she was growing up. And as exciting and novel as it was to get out of her beloved city for a weekend in Vegas, it was such a nice feeling to be back in Philly. To be home.

After the whole Andrew incident, Nanna had made the decision to sell her home and move into assisted care. Jade hated it. But no matter how much she had pleaded and even cried, her Nanna wouldn't be swayed. She moved in with Tommy the day before the sale closed. As much as she hated losing what was essentially her childhood home, she was happy living with her fiancé. When they weren't screaming at each other, that is. But they were both passionate people with anger issues, fights were bound to happen.

It was a pretty shitty two bedroom, but neither one of them minded. They certainly weren't picky. Growing up as they both had, they knew to take nothing for granted. Jade would say they were blessed with what they were given. That is, until Tommy snorted at the term and told her to just go to church with that bullshit already.

Jade dropped her bags and collapsed on their worn couch, not even bothering to take off her sunglasses. She was starting to feel closer to human after the Ibuprofen and some rest on the plane, but she was still dragging ass. "I take it you're not going to see Nanna today then?" Tommy asked from the foot of the couch, taking her shoes off as she watched him.

They made visits to Nanna Paul at least four times a week. The doctors didn't have to say anything, but Jade knew. Her condition was worsening. She looked weaker, more exhausted with each visit. Jade would usually spend the train ride home sniffling into Tommy's shoulder. But today she just couldn't do it.

"I'll go tomorrow," she groaned. "Right after I feel normal again."

"I'll make us some lunch." He stopped to lean over and plant a kiss on her forehead before leaving her in peace.

Jade dozed off for a while, only waking when Tommy nudged her with his foot and handed her a plate of chicken, broccoli and brown rice. It was unfortunately a staple in their little household, since one of them always seemed to be training for a fight on the horizon. She rested the plate on her stomach, unwilling to sit up to eat. Tommy sat on the coffee table, chuckling and shaking his head. "What?"

"Nothing, just eat your damn chicken."

* * *

They fell back into their normal routine fairly quickly. Early morning runs, shared showers, training nearly side by side. Sore muscles, easily cared for with massages that usually forayed into something else entirely. Eggs and protein shakes and way too much chicken. Bitter fights, each yelling loud enough that it seemed the picture frames that decorated their walls would shake until one of them would get fed up and leave. Sometimes that alone would send their arguments into another stratosphere, both of them wanting to storm out at the same time. But then one of them would return, all soft whispers of apologies until the other relented and they made love until they passed out.

The article came out a month after they returned from Vegas, three copies of the magazine waiting for them on their doorstep when they returned from their run. And Jade had to admit, as much as she hated the whole process, it was pretty good. "'You may not have heard of Jade Paul yet, but I assure you that sometime soon, you will,'" she read out to Tommy as he cooked their breakfast. "'Engaged to Tommy Riordan-'"

"Only took them two sentences to mention me, yeah?" Jade peered over the top of the page to shoot him a look. "Just sayin', doll. Go on."

"'And it's easy to see why they're a couple. Paul's attitude matches Riordan's, may even top it. But don't think that's the only reason you should know her name.'" Tommy slid her a plate of steaming eggs, but Jade didn't even look down at them, just continued reading out loud as Tommy dug in. "'This girl has lethal amounts of piss and vinegar running through her veins, and the skills to back it up. You'd be surprised to find out she isn't bulletproof.' And there they go with the fucking Andrew story," she sighed, tossing Tommy the magazine across the table as she started eating her own meal.

"The pictures are pretty badass," he commented casually, mouth half-full of eggs. Jade could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks, almost embarrassed. They had come out a lot better than expected, though the lighting they had used made her scars look even more jagged than they really were. "You're really somethin', you know that?"

"That better be in your 'my fiancé is a goddess' tone of voice, Tommy."

He chuckled under his breath. "What other tone of voice do I have?"

"You really don't want to have this conversation, Riordan." Tommy sat back in his chair, his plate empty, toothpick playing on his lips and a calculating look on his face. "I know that look, and you can stop right there."

"You do, do you?"

"You're going to tell me you'll be quick and we both know that it's a lie. The only place you're quick is in the ring."

"You complaining, doll?" Tommy leaned forward as he said it, discarding his toothpick and replacing it with a predatory smirk.

"No, but I don't want to be late for your brother and wind up doing burpees until I pass out."

"Then I'll be quick," he lied before standing and reaching his hand out for Jade to take. She paused for only a moment before placing her hand in his.

She was expecting him to drag her to the bedroom, so Jade was surprised when he pressed her against the dining room wall instead. His hands were warm on either side of her neck as he kissed her. Sweet, gentle pecks turned into longer tastes, their tongues swirling around each other. Jade couldn't help but moan in his mouth as his hands slid down her sides, tugging on her shorts and underwear until they fell and she stepped out of them, kicking them across the room. She went to do the same to Tommy but he grabbed her hands to halt her progress. She was about to voice her protest when he gave her one last kiss and knelt down in front of her.

"Tommy, don't, we just ran and I'm still all sweaty-"

"You taste even better that way, doll. Now spread your legs."

"Tommy-"

"Do it, Jade, or so help me, you will pay for it later when I have all the time in the world to torture you."

Her head made a dull knocking sound against the wall as it fell back, Jade closing her eyes with a shudder as she obeyed his orders. One hand spread her wide as the other prodded at her opening, one finger sliding in as he tasted her. She ran her fingers through his hair, tensing at the sensations, every swipe of his tongue bringing her closer and closer. One finger turned to two, crooking them just so as his lips clamped down around her clit and oh God if he kept it up she was going to fall apart but she'd kill him if he stopped. And then he lightly sucked and fireworks exploded behind her eyes and throughout her body, the orgasm making her knees buckle as Tommy held her in place, sucking even harder, Jade crying out louder and louder at every single rush that he gave her. After a minute or an eternity, he let her come down, smug look on his face as he stood back up to kiss her.

"Come on, or we're going to be late," he mumbled as he pulled away.

"What about you?"

"We can worry about me later. Now c'mon." He pulled her away from the wall and gave her a quick smack to her ass, a yelp escaping before she could stop it. "Let's get moving."

* * *

**A/N - Thanks for being patient with me on my stories, gang. Things are not back to normal, rather, they're slowly turning into a new normal. Please review, they really make my day and make me want to write even more. We'll get to some actual plot next chapter. I wanted to establish their life together now before we got into the story arch.**


	6. Chapter 6

For once, it wasn't a lie, and it really had been quick. They had even made it to the gym before his brother, a rare occurrence.

Tommy screeched to halt as they turned the corner, a half-second before Jade did the same. Someone had pasted copies of the article on every flat surface of the gym, even used it as wallpaper on the wall closest to the heavy bags. He knew what she would do before she had even pivoted on the balls of her feet, Jade storming out with her face red. Though whether it was in anger or embarrassment, he wasn't sure. Probably a little of both. And he really couldn't blame her.

"JORDAN!" he bellowed until the front desk man turned the corner. "Whose fucking bright idea was this?"

"Well, a few of the guys-"

Tommy whipped a hand out and smacked the man in the back of the head, a dull thud sounding at the impact. "Fucking idiot! You been hanging around her for how long and you still don't know dick, do you?"

"We're all just proud of her, man. Not everyday a member gets a write up in a magazine."

"I thought that was what the party was going to be for. Take them all down, now. Where the fuck was Brendan for all of this?"

"He didn't know either."

"Fucking hell, Jordan. I'll go talk her down, just get rid of it." Tommy gave him one more furious glare before jogging out the front door. He just hoped she hadn't gone far.

Turned out she hadn't. Tommy found her parked on a bench across the street from the gym, sitting on her hands and still obviously seething. He silently took the seat next to her, nudging her shoulder with his until she started pushing back. It became almost like a tug of war, each digging into each other until Jade leaned forward at just the right moment and Tommy nearly fell on his side behind her back. And thank God, she laughed at that. It was still one of his favorite sounds in the world.

"So is it too late to switch gyms?" Jade grinned at him, earning a responding snort.

"Yeah, doll, it is." She swung her legs in silence for a while, the soles of her sneakers scraping against the sidewalk. "They're just proud of you, you know," he spoke up when she said nothing else.

"Yeah, I know. Still doesn't mean I like to see my face plastered everywhere."

"They had the best intentions."

"The path to hell, and all," she murmured, giving her ponytail a nervous tug.

"I wasn't supposed to say anything, but fuck all, I don't want you reacting this way when you show up to the party tonight."

"Fuck, a party too?"

"You know them, any excuse to pound a few down and they'll take it." Jade heaved out a sigh, nudging Tommy's thigh with her own until they were shoving back and forth again and she was grinning. "You ready to go back in, then?"

* * *

The party was a respectable one, he had to admit. It had been a bit of a chore to drag her out, the woman could be so damn stubborn sometimes. But when her forced smile had turned into a genuine one after a few shots with the guys, he figured it was worth the effort. Anything to make her happy. He knew he was whipped, would never admit it, but his dark little beauty had turned into one of the few bright spots in his life. Her joy was his.

They were at a hole in the wall bar around the corner from the gym, filled with hazy smoke and the reek of cheap liquor. There were a few blue collars hanging around, most likely making their happy hour stop before heading home, but mostly it was packed with their people. For once, he was confident that Jade wouldn't knock some oblivious bitch or bastard unconscious. Unless Jordan got grabby, that is, but she'd have to get in line for that opportunity.

Tommy was shocked that there was a good number of women too. The gym still was a boys club, Jade being the only female member. But apparently the guys had pulled their heads out of their asses and managed to actually bring in some members of the fairer sex. They couldn't hold a candle to Jade, though.

He watched her from the corner, nursing his own beer. Jesus, she was beautiful. It was odd, that as much as she hated being the center of attention, she actually seemed to be glowing in her spotlight tonight. Then again, it might be the booze.

"Tommy?" a soft voice called out, causing him to immediately freeze. That voice he would know anywhere.

Memories slammed into the forefront of his mind. Stolen kisses in a treehouse, a comforting hand on his back when he would run to her house to escape Pop, shared milkshakes at the drive in. Snacks after school at her house, watching football games under a huge fleece blanket. He never he what anyone would call a happy childhood. But when he was around her, it was the closest he ever got.

She had been one of the reasons that he had been so pissed at Brendan for so long. Why did he get the girl when Tommy had to leave his? How was that fair?

He'd gotten over it since, gotten over her. Time had helped that particular source of anger fade. And he had Jade now, wouldn't trade her for anything or anyone in the world. But it was nice to hear that long-forgotten, yet still familiar voice again.

"Chase? That really you?"

* * *

**A/N - **Short one, gang, sorry. I want to flip back over to Jade here, and since one chapter is one POV ... You get it, right? Please review. How do you think Jade is going to react?


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